Pleated seal for surgical hand or instrument access

A hand or instrument access assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• a seal body mounted to the housing, the seal body having a first proximal surface and a second distal surface opposing the first proximal surface, the seal body defining a substantially centrally disposed opening extending through the first proximal surface and the second distal surface, and second openings for sealed reception of an instrument therethrough;
• the first proximal surface having a plurality of first channels extending radially outwardly from the substantially centrally disposed opening and coterminous therewith and the second distal surface having a plurality of second channels extending radially outwardly from the substantially centrally disposed opening and coterminous therewith, the plurality of first channels being radially offset relative to the plurality of second channels, wherein the plurality of first and second channels are separate and distinctly formed from one another, at least one of the second openings being positioned in between at least two of the first channels of the plurality of first channels.